American Horror Story: Get me out of here
by awfulreader.tumblr
Summary: Violet and the Harmons struggle with their new life stuck in the Murder House. Who knew that even after death the house could still have secrets behind the wallpaper? Things come to light in the this second season, as friendships, family loyalty, and more are tested. This takes place three years after the Harmons die, Vivien and Tate's son is three and ect.
1. Chapter 1

The wind whistled past the windows, always in a rush to be somewhere else. Nothing wanted to be here, not even the wind. Violet leaned her forehead against the glass, it was cool but only barley. It was like the sensation of the cold glass was muffled behind fabric, her senses dulled. That was how the dead lived.

She sighed. It'd been a long time. It'd be 1,295 days, a little over three years, in this house. It wasn't so bad, or at least it could be a lot worse. At least she had her parents, and Moria, the little girls who lived here and Travis. They were all nice enough.

She turned to walk back to her room. The wall paper was stating to curl as she dragged her fingernails across it. The faded dark blue paper held in secrets, beneath it was the stained bloody walls of the house. Every night it creaked and groaned, telling its prisoners of the life they would spend in tortured solitude and eternity they would endure. Now that Violet was dead she could finally understand the house's language, the secrets it would whisper to her at night. It was driving her mad.

Her bedroom was bare, things picked away by real estate and past buyers long ago like vultures. Although, there was furniture in the attic that her dad and Patrick had moved around to make it feel more homely. An old moth eaten couch from the Montgomery family, some furniture from the Ramos family since they had left in such a rush.

Violet sat down in the center of the floor, her book balanced in her lap. At least she had books.

The first few months of the house, after the tragedy, had been fine. It seemed like death fit the Harmon family even better than life had. Ben ad Vivien were getting along, not just the struggled, strained relationship that she was use to but something easy and flowing. They laughed and smiled, held their newest member of the family in their arms.

"Isn't he beautiful?" Vivien leaned down to show Violet her baby brother. He was tiny, his hair barley wisps on his head and his eyes big and blue like Ben's.

Those first months were fine. Violet was aching inside, her inside would turn to mush and melt and quiver every time she let her mind wander to the future. A future without moving, a future where there truly was no future.

Violet sighed and leaned back on the hard wood floor. Her thick blonde hair fanned out around her. The ceiling loomed and arched above her, if she closed her eyes for a second she could believe that it was the sky above her.

Now three years later it was all starting to crumble. The baby was still a baby. Violet was still dead.

A soft knock on the bedroom door jerked her from her thoughts, the future floating away. Violet propped herself up on her elbows just in time to see her mom peak around the corner.

"Hey, Vi." She said softly. "Can I come in?" Violet didn't say anything but Vivien quickly stepped in anyways. Vivien was pretty, her red hair hung down her back in loose curls and her brown eyes reminded Violet of a doe's. "I just wanted to see what you were up to." She said taking a seat next to Violet.

"The same thing as every day," Violet muttered. Vivien didn't say anything, just nodded slowly.

"I was talking with your dad that maybe we could start a magazine subscription, or just the local newspaper. And Chad was saying how since the backyard is pretty well hidden behind the house we could spend more time out there."

"That'd be nice." Violet had been out in the yard only a few times before but had quickly given up on that idea. Once when she'd been standing underneath the shade of one of the trees, her hand resting on the rough bark, she breathed in heavily and turned her face up to the sun. A neighbor walking their dog came up to the locked gates. "Hey!" He shouted. Violet looked over startled. "you aren't allowed on this property. That's why the gates locked." He reached into his pocket to grab his cell phone but when he looked back up she was gone.

That's why Violet didn't go outside anymore; she couldn't risk being seen by random people. She couldn't risk her only second chance at life. But the backyard, she hadn't considered and since the hedges had grown taller it would be harder to see the family sitting on the gazebo back there.

"Mhm," Vivien smiled at her. After a brief pause the sound of William, Violet's brother, crying was obvious from down stairs. Vivien sighed with a strained smile and stood up, quickly smoothed a hand over Violet's hair and left.

Violet stood up, there was no point in being the bedroom anyways, it wasn't hers anymore. She moved down the stairs. For such an empty abandoned house it was very crowded. In the attic Violet could hear Beau moving about, his chains dragging. The basement was the central hangout for the less active souls, including the Harvey family who were burned to death by their mother, the Montgomery family, and several others. If Violet really felt like being brave she would wander down there in search of Margret and Angela Harvey the two little girls to play with, or Travis. But going in the basement had several risks; more sinister souls lived down there, including Hayden… or Tate. Not really worth it.

On her way down the stairs she bumped into Moria. The old woman nodded at her, saying a quiet "pardon me, miss Violet" before stepping around. She stilled cleaned the house, it seemed to help relieve some of the boredom. At the vary last step she felt a pair of hands shove her from behind, she tripped and fell on her knees hard enough to bruise them. She twisted her neck back to see who pushed her. A pair of twin grinning faces laughed. It was the twins, they were always causing mischief and harassing anyone they could find.

"Get out of here, brats!" Violet snapped. She felt flushed and hot, she hated it when they did that to her. Their freckled faces grinned down at her, their teeth showing almost all the way to their molars. Pop rocks rained down around her, stinging her hands and feet. She scrambled up to lunge at them and shove them backward against the steps but by then they were gone… disappeared into thin air. Their nasally laughter still drifted in the air. Violet huffed, pushing her hair out of her eyes.

She stood in the front entrance of the house, hallways stretching out on either side of her. The front door looming in front of her. The door knob felt chillingly cold in her grip. Beyond this thick wood door and glass window was a world. Every day in this house was becoming more and more unbearable.


	2. Chapter 2

Sleeping was an odd sensation for Violet; it was more of a habit then anything else. The house would grow dark and stillness would fall upon them like a suffocating blanket. Some nights Chad and Patrick would stay up all night talking to Vivien and Ben, the four of them were becoming fast friends. But Violet would feel stillness, she would head to her dad's office, there was still a couch there and the book shelves. It was one of the nicest places left in the house. She'd lay down and stare at the ceiling, slowly her eyes would drift shut and the sensation of the couch would disappear. It felt like she was submerged underwater except that she could breathe, it was like gravity had left and her limbs were floating around her but at the same time she was being crushed. Her eyes snapped open and by then the sun would be shining through the windows.

Violet woke up, trying to shake off that uneasy feeling that clung to her. She sat up , shaking out her hair and looking around. Moria was dusting in the corner, her back turned to Violet.

"Your parents are in the kitchen." She said without turning around.

The kitchen was spotless, it looked the same as when the Harmons' were alive, except now that the power was cut off the fridge and appliances didn't work. Not that ghosts got hungry.

"Hey Mom, hey Dad." She called as she walked in. William was resting in Vivien's arms. He gurgled at Violet, slobbering running down his chin. If his body never ages will his brain stay in a infant like state to? Violet wondered staring at her brother. Was he trapped in the ageless body of a baby screaming to get out? Or was he mindless like all other babies? It was a cursed existence no matter what.

"Violet!" Ben shoved back from his chair and grabbed her shoulders. "Where have you been?" He shook her.

"Get off of me!" She snarled shoving away his hands and pulling back. She hated when he did that, when he just grabbed her. The tops of her arms were aching from his grip. Vivien and Ben were staring at their daughter then glanced at each other.

"Honey, where have you been?" Vivien leaned forward her elbow resting on the counter. Violet arched her eyebrows. Were they blind? Did they bother to look for her? It wasn't like she could go very far, in fact she was always here stuck at home.

"I went to the library last night to lay down." She reached forward to offer William her finger, he snatched it with his puny chubby fist and shook it, laughing up at her. Violet smiled down at him, ignoring her parents questioning looks.

"We looked there yesterday and couldn't find you. No one could find you Violet." Ben accused, his eyes glaring under his thick black eyebrows.

"Well I was there." She snapped back. She wasn't just going to sit her and let them accuse her of something that was completely false. Wasn't that slander? And it wasn't like he had room to talk much less considering his affair.

Violet knew that this new life with her family meant that she was supposed to forget about the past harms and fowls of their living life but it was harder than that. She couldn't just forgive and forget, although she was trying in her defense

"Vi, you weren't here yesterday." Vivien repeated. Violet shrugged.

"Maybe I slept through the day on accident." She sighed. If she did sleep through yesterday, big deal, it meant one less day to suffer through. She ducked down and kissed William on the forehead before quickly leaving the interrogation. She walked down the hallway past a mirror that hung between two oil paintings of flowers, in the reflection for a second, she thought she saw a familiar face that twisted at her gut. Violet quickly blinked away the image and darted down the hall. Where to though? The house was maze, a trap, no matter where she went it was a circle and eventually she'd come right back to this very spot.

Maybe the backyard? Chad had told Vivien that it was safe to go back there, Violet considered. She could feel the sky urging her forward, towards the back door. She gripped the doorknob and flung it open. It bounced against the side of the house with a crash but Violet didn't notice. Her dull senses were being over whelmed. Every sound and sight and smell made her twitch in ecstasy. For a moment she let herself believe that she could hop over that back fence in the Langdon property and run away. She stepped out into the grass, hearing every tiny blade be crunched under her chuck taylors. The sky was so vivid blue that it blinded her. It arched above her endlessly, unlike the bedroom ceiling. The wind moved her hair and blew wisps around her face. She breathed in deeply, trying to absorb this moment this feeling of wonder and amazement that she hadn't felt in so long. Violet took a few cautious steps forward, venturing farther out into the yard. From what she could see the fence and hedges hid most of the yard from people looking at the back and the house blocked the view from the front, it was safe.

Behind her was a soft sigh, when she looked to her left there stood Chad. His black hair was combed back stylishly, his green sweater sleeves pushed up to his elbows. He tipped his head back and looked at the sky.

"It seems better than it did when you were alive doesn't it?" His voice was soft, regretful. "We always took the sky for granted. When I was alive I never even bothered looking at." He glanced at Violet from the corner of his eye. Assessing her. She was still a small naïve little girl to him, she didn't know how life worked; she only saw what she wanted to see in his opinion.

"The carriage has to turn back into a pumpkin eventually, Violet. Even this yard, even this tiny bit of freedom." He stared down at the grass. The heel of his show was twisting and digging into the ground, making a hole. "Soon the charm of the sky will be gone and you'll want to be on the other side of that fence." He looked at her, stared her directly in the eyes with an unwavering hopeless look that made Violet want to crawl away and hide in the deepest trench she could find. "But you'll always be here." He finished with a sad hiccup, as if he was holding in tears. Hanging his head he stamped his foot down and crushed the grass before heading back inside.

Violet stood there. Her breath rushed out of her, she struggled to suck in more air but it was like Chad had taken all of it with him, including her tiny shred of hope for a life here. The yard didn't seem as wonderful anymore… It was like two crushing hands reached down and rested on her shoulders. It took all of her effort not to collapse and cry. But Violet doesn't cry, she refuses to. Her fingertips slid along the edges of her sleeve, worming their way to her wrist and fingering the old cuts there. They'd healed by now, just dull raised lines that ticked like a list down her arm. She hadn't cut in a long time, although she'd had the familiar urge on more then one occasion. But she'd made a promise… she was going to keep it. Stepping back in the shade and must of the house it seemed like the back door was behind a thick pane of glass, untouchable by her.


	3. Chapter 3

Ben Harmons POV

Ben shook his head, balancing a book in the palm of his hand. It was one of his old journals, filled with listings and appointments from his past patients. His eyes lifted back to the bookcase, his fingers trailed down marked journals and notebooks until he found the one he was looking for. Tate Langdon was scrawled on the cover. He pulled apart the pages and looked them over. Those days, when Tate pretended to be a sick boy with a twisted mind haunted Ben. Tate had used the idea that he was a patient of Ben's to come into their home, snuggle up to his daughter. Ben pinched the bridge of his noise, blowing out a long frustrated breath.

"Oh don't be so stressed, baby." A pair of hands rubbed his shoulders, warm breath tickled the back of his neck. Ben jumped back, whipping around to glare at Hayden.

"What are you doing?" He hissed. She raised one of her prefect slim eyebrows. Her long brown hair swung down her back, her body was thin and had long lean curves to it. A young body, Hayden was hardly over twenty-one. Ben had to admit she was still as attractive as ever. Hayden pursed her pink lips and leaned towards him.

"I've been lonely, and I know you've been feeling particularly bored to." She said. Ben's face was flat, all emotion he tried to hide from her. In his head he chanted his wife's name. _Vivien, Vivien._

"You should leave Hayden." He said looking away from her. She jerked away from him, her eyebrows lowering dangerously in a expression he recognized.

"I can't leave!" She shrieked. Her eyes burned him. "Thanks to someone."

"Then you should go back to wherever you've been hiding and leave my family alone." He snapped. This was his house, his family's new life and Hayden was not going to mess it up for them. She slide closer, her arm snaked around his shoulders and pulled him chest to chest with her. Her smile was pinched and sharp, her face was pushed close to his as she stared into his eyes.

"I'll be here for eternity and so will you. You can't avoid me forever, Ben." She whispered. He choked on what to say. The words were caught in his throat likes fish hook, painfully tearing every time he tried to utter a single word of denial and anger. She stepped back from him and winked.

"See ya' around, babe." And then she disappeared. Ben fell back against the bookshelves Tate's journal clutched in his hands. His breath hitched in his chest and throat. His body ached in one particular place.

Ben groaned and smacked his head hard on the shelf. The air felt heavy and swollen, Hayden's presence still lingering in the air. He felt sick, guilt already eating away at him. Even this two minute encounter could ruin what he'd worked so hard to build again. He'd worked so hard to re-earn trust, to become the part of a good father and husband. But his old desires still festered deep inside him where his rotting corpse still lived.

Ben stood straight and shook his shoulders as if that would make the guilt go away. He pushed Hayden all the way back down to the decomposing heart. She would stay locked up there, he would never be with her again, Ben told himself.

He walked into his bedroom. It was the only room in the house that had managed to keep most of its furniture, the bed was still there as well as Vivien's favorite chair. She was sitting, gently rocking William in her arms. Standing next to her and leaning over the baby cooing and smiling was Travis. Ben quickly stomped on the little bug of jealousy and discomfort. He knew that Travis was kind and loved children, he was around the baby as often as he could.

"Travis," Ben said with a nod. The young man looked up with a wide smile and said hello back.

"Alright, well I'll get going." He said. "Bye Willy, bye Viv." He waved over his shoulder goodbye to the three before ducking out of the room. Ben smiled tightly at him as he left. Vivien smiled at him and shrugged her shoulders.

"He's nice." She said. Ben gave her the stink eye which made her chuckle. Ben leaned over and kissed her on the forehead while pushing down the thoughts of Hayden. Looking down into his sleeping son's face Ben could see the obvious similarities between himself and the baby. Same blue eyes and dark hair and the same thin mouth unfortunately.

Vivien and Ben sat for a while in silence looking at the baby.

"What's Violet doing?" Ben suddenly gasped. He rushed to the window and stared out. She was in the yard facing towards the house slowly marching back inside.

"She was probably just walking around the back yard." Vivien said with a slow shrug.

"What if someone saw her?"

"Chad said the back yard is safe. She's fine, plus I noticed she's been feeling pretty down so I thought the air would do her good."

"She's always in a bad mood," Ben scoffed. Violet… His little girl, but it didn't feel that way anymore. She was still struggling with losing her old life. She would never grow old and get married, never have kids of her own, never go to college, never have any true friends her age. The thought almost brought Ben to tears. He messed everything up, Ben knew that, but he still wanted to give his little girl everything in the world. He wanted to see her happy and satisfied, not stumbling through the halls of house looking for a answer she would never find.

Ben couldn't just walk up to her and expect her to cry on his shoulder, let it all out and slowly get better. Violet wasn't like that. She was stubborn and liked to think of herself as strong. She would never cry and she would never talk to him of all people.

Ben bent down and absently kissed Viv on the head.

"Ben?" She called after him as he walked through the door but he didn't respond.

Back in his office he quickly shuffled through some journals and files, nothing of interest but his mind was else ware.

A memory of Tate suddenly popped in his head. Tate had been leaning forward, his elbows on his knees looking at Ben. It was the day when Ben had desperately sough Tate's insight on Violet, trying to find a way to help her.

"She's not you little girl anymore," Tate said.

Tate, Ben thought, was the root of all this. Red glazed over his vision and held in his breath. Slowly it faded away and when Ben looked back down he saw Tate's journal gripped in his hands.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! Sorry that this chapter is a little late in the day :P this is Tate's POV. I hope you enjoy it and keep reading! Thanks for the reviews and followers/favs! **

_Darkness was absorbing him, cockroaches ran up and down his arms and crawled over his cheeks. He couldn't move no matter how hard he struggled, it was pointless. He was pinned down. A merciless face leaned down over him. The face was painted like a skull but behind the paint he could see it… it was him. Monster Tate smiled down at him, leaned so close that the smell of rot flooded his mind. _

_"Make them suffer," Monster Tate hissed. _

Tate's eyes snapped open. His body rigid in fear, breath stuck in his throat. He wanted to cry out, to curl into Violet's arms, instead he just stared at the dripping pipes over his head.

"Bad dream, lover boy?" said the nasally voice. Tate rolled his head to stare at Hayden. Her pinched was turned up, sneering at him.

"What do you want?" She paused at the emptiness in his voice, eyes scanning over him.

"It's been three years, Tate. Get over it." She snapped. He didn't say anything. Was it only three years? It felt so much longer… These empty pointless days. He didn't want them anymore, he just wanted her back. He wanted Violet.

Tate's every thought and waking moment was consumed by her. Consumed by the feverish longing and desire he possessed. He wanted to hold her in his arms, run her soft hair through his fingers. How could he ever get over her? His thoughts turned over and over, running through a wheel that tormented him.

Hayden shook her head, a sad smile slipped across her face. This poor boy leaning against the filthy wall for days on end only leaving to watch Violet from a distance. She stood up and left, hardly baring to watch him feel the same way she felt deep inside knowing that all she wanted was Ben.

Tate sat there for a while longer tormenting himself. Finally he managed to get up and move around the basement, silently observing the other souls that resided there. They were in small clusters. The basement smelt of mold, folding around him and sinking into his clothes and hair. There was no light, not even from the basement door window. Nothing entered this part of house, no happiness lived here, nothing lived here.

"Tate?" suddenly came the slow honey-sweet southern drawl. He doubled back to the basement door. From the shadows he watched his mother cautiously step forward. Her blonde hair was still perfectly pinned up, there wasn't a single wrinkle in her dress. Soft delicate aged hands pressed to her chest as she peered into every corner, looking for him.

"What?" He stepped directly behind her, finding the smallest and pettiest satisfaction in seeing her startled jump away from him. She turned around with a breathless laugh but Tate could see the fear in her eyes.

"I wanted to see you." She said with a smile, reaching her hand out to touch his arm. He stared at her so coldly that she pulled back, flustered for a brief second.

"It's been three years, I thought you moved away." He hissed.

"No I've just been very busy," She said with a smile that reached from ear to ear. There was pride in her voice, something that Tate had never heard aimed at him. As a child she'd never held him softly in her arms. Never tucked him in at night to make sure the monsters didn't reach out from under the bed and pull him away. How could she have guessed that her son would turn out to be the monster at night?

"I have something to show you, Tate." She leaned closed to him and whispered. Her eyes were glittering, tears lightly pooled at the corners. "It's been a long time and I thought maybe you would be ready by now." She was breathless, her eyes darting back to the still open doorway.

"What are you talking about?" Tate asked skeptically. Something about her eager gaze and nervous movements made him more cautious. She turned her back to him and called softly to the door. There was a pause, a heavy pregnant silence. Then a small shuffling sound. At first Tate couldn't comprehend what he was seeing, couldn't understand what was standing only a few feet in front of him. Constance reached out a hand, cooing softly as the little figure stepped forward and grasped her hand all the while staring Tate directly in the eyes.

The little boy had the small mess of soft blonde curls that barely touched the tops of his ears. His brown eyes watched blanket from heavy eyelids and dark lashes. He was small and frail looking, maybe only three years old. He had none of the childish behavior that Tate had as a little boy.

"Tate," Constance said. Tate managed to rip his eyes away from the boy to her. Her eyes spoke to him and told him everything he already knew.

Tate couldn't breathe. His lungs deflated, his throat choking and gasping for oxygen. No, he thought, no no no. The world was spinning and titling, the basement floor being pulled out from under his feet like a rug. Tate landed to his knees in front of the little boy with strangled cry. This little boy, this striking image of himself… It couldn't be. Tate didn't **want **it to be. Of course he'd known all along that somewhere out there this child was living and breathing but Tate had never expected to see him.

"Get him out of here." He managed to choke out. Constance looked at Tate sharply, squeezing the little boys had.

"His name is Michael." She said gently.

"GET HIM OUT OF HERE!" Tate bellowed. The boy suddenly stepped forward. His small nose was pressed against Tate's and snarled. It started off as low deadly sound like thunder approaching, Tate felt his heart spike under his ribs. In the boy's eyes was something so terrifying and made his bones shake.

"Michael," A hand pulled the little boy back. Constance looked down sternly at him but otherwise didn't say anything. Tate was speechless. His mother knelt down in front of him and roughly grabbed his chin. "He's your flesh and blood Tate. He's yours."

All Tate could manage was pathetic gurgle as he fought back the tears. He'd been denying it for so long… this was truly why he couldn't be with Violet. It wasn't that he killed people, she'd known even when she was dating him. It was that he raped her mother and his son was her brother. God, he thought, that's so sick and twisted… Bile was burning the back of his throat. Constance sadly shook her head at him, grabbed Michael's hand and tugged him towards the door.

"When we come back next be a better host." She snapped. The door swung shut with a final sharp click.

As soon as she was gone he let it out. A long wail rose out of his chest, the tears managed to drip down his checks. After a minute he stopped, closing the cries deep inside. He curled on the floor and closed his eyes thinking back to when Violet choose to throw him out of her life.

He remembered screaming at her, she was all he had, all he ever wanted. She screamed back wordlessly, forcing him away from her.

Tate cried silently.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for the reviews! :D**

The claw foot tub was filled to the brim with bubbles and warm water. The candle burning on the sink counter smelled heavenly. Violet slowly dunked her toes in the bath, feeling the warmth sweep up her long legs and relax her muscles. She leaned down into, closing her eyes and just trying to relax. It was exactly what she needed, a break away from her parents and William, a moment out of view from the other ghosts in the house.

Reaching around the tub to grab her iPod she quickly plugged in the earbuds. She quickly lost herself in The Smiths. Slowly the water crew colder and the bubbles deflated like dead soldiers around her. The tub drained, anxiety swirled around the drain. She stepped out of tub gingerly, careful not to slip on the wet tile floor.

"Put a towel on." Violet screamed and twisted around, clutching the towel around her. Chad leaned over the sink studying his reflection in the mirror.

"Get out!"

"Why?" He said in a bored voice. Turning around and leaning against the sink he looked her up and down with a bored expression. "It's not like I care about what you have." He laughed dryly.

"It's my bathroom, get out." She snarled. Chad clucked his tongue and shook a finger at her.

"Correction, it's not your bathroom anymore. You're just like the rest of us, not any better." He smirked at her then turned back to the mirror. Violet gritted her teeth, anger flooding her chest.

"Get out or I'll make you." Chad's eyes darted up to look at her from the mirror. He eyed her warily. Violet could see her own expression, the cold menacing mask that looked like her. Was that really her?

"Fine, but don't think you're anything special sweetie. You're just another head case like us." Then he was gone.

So much for the relaxing bath, she groaned. Quickly toweling off and ducking back down the hill towards her old room but truly there was no safe haven anymore.

She stood at her bedroom window watching the world outside. Two children were running around in the yard across the street, Constance was dutifully marching down the sidewalk to her house. From Violet's bedroom window she could clearly see the world that she was not a part of. The wind looked stronger today, it forced the trees to bow down to it, blowing the children around who laughed and played.

Combing through her hair with fingers and working out the knots she started to slowly gaze around the room out of habit. Written on the chalkboard was "I'll wait forever" in a familiar scrawl that tugged at her heartstrings. She froze staring at it. Had it been there when she walked in? A rock was stuck in her throat that she painfully tried to gulp down. Her eyes scanned the shadows, desperately twisting to see behind her. Her heart hammered beneath her ribs. Thud thud thump_. _Violet tried to slide a mask over her emotions in case _he _was watching from the shadows. After circling the room fruitlessly twice she gave up on looking for him, he wasn't here.

Tate… she hardly allowed herself to think of him. When the memories of him were dragged up and started a battle of emotions in her chest. Guilt and passion were at war, her longing for him was blacked out by Tate's unforgivable deeds.

Crying out softly she fell to her knees, her legs trembling and eyes brimming with salty. She bit her lip inwardly scolding herself.

"No," She hissed. "I will not forgive him. He killed people, raped my mother and killed her. No" Angry tears leaped to her eyes. This was his fault, he made those choices and this was the consequence. So why did it hurt her so bad to? She swiped away the tears and stood up, throwing her shoulders back and defiantly looking around the room in case he was watching. She stepped swiftly towards the chalkboard and wiped his words away with a deft hand. Insincere childish words didn't mean anything to Violet anymore; she'd fallen for that trick last time. If he wanted to make an impression it'd take more than that.

She stormed down the stairs, slamming her hand on the banister. There was a fire in her chest, one that she hadn't felt in a long time. She flung open the basement door in a moment of passion, anger blazing in her fierce brown eyes. But as she took a couple steps down, staring into the darkness that collected and gathered at the bottom like a damp dark well, she started to feel her courage fade. Her steps became more slow and hesitant, she swore someone laughed at the bottom the stairs menacingly. For a second the Cheshire cat's smile grinned from the impenetrable darkness. She stopped, only two steps from the very bottom. Someone giggled. Violet bristled, staring as hard as she could in hopes to see her watcher. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness she could make out two small warped figures standing only a foot in front. Gasping she jumped back, her hand to her heart in fear. The two figures stepped forward, they had ash grey and charred flesh, their eyes dimly looked out from under burned away eyelids. Some in the house called them the Burning Girls, Violet knew them better as Margret and Angela.

"Don't scare me like that!" She whispered to them. They covered their burned mouth behind their hands and laughed. It always broke Violet's heart to see them. How could a mother bear to harm her children, let alone burn them alive? It sickened Violet.

"Why are you down here?" Angela asked.

"Well… I was looking someone but never mind." Violet dismissed her original plan, now that she was calmed down it was a bad idea to try to confront Tate, it would only lead to hurt.

"Want to play?" They cheered, faces cracking and splintering. Violet grinned at them but shook her head.

"Sadly I can't I should go back upstairs." She apologized, it hurt to see their faces fall but people weren't exactly the most welcoming down here. She scanned the darkness warily looking for hostile faces. They nodded solemnly before leaving hand-in-hand. Violet headed upstairs. For a secon she thought she heard a soft whimper call her name, begging her to come back. She didn't look back, just kept her locked on the shining doorway above.


	6. Chapter 6

_ The house was empty. Violet didn't notice immediately, it wasn't until she moved through the kitchen which was her mother's and Moria's favorite spot. She moved from room to room softly calling her parents' names. She stood still listening for the familiar sounds that had surrounded her life for the past three years. The familiar whispers were gone, Beau's chains were silent, the house didn't groan or move. It was unsettling as first but soon a rush of freedom over took her. Violet ran up the front stairs screaming her mom's name at the top of her lungs, and when one answer called back she whooped and cheered. All alone at last, this tiny chunk of freedom was hers. What to do first with her new freedom? Enjoy a shower, rock out to music as loud as she could? Scream and holler and beat her fists against the wall simply because she could? Violet laughed for the first time in three years, her chest didn't feel as tight and her heart didn't feel as though it were being crushed. She sang her favorite song by The Ramones at the top of her voice. _

_ She moved through her bedroom and stood at the front of the window. Children played across the street, being blown and tossed about by the window like brittle autumn leaves. She smiled and swung open her bedroom window to lean out. She shouted to them, waving and beaming. They smiled back and said hello. For the first time in years someone had said hello… She almost wanted to weep in joy. _

_ Violet never had time to be alone, with more than twenty ghosts living in one house it was hard to find some time to yourself. People were always moving about, fighting and arguing, talking and managing the occasional laugh. The house was so silent… After roaming around for a little while Violet began to feel queasy. Where was everyone? She ran her fingers over the curling wallpaper. _

_ In the her dad's office she looked over the remaining books he had on shelf. She pulled out each journal, which she was forbidden to look at but what Dad didn't know wouldn't hurt him. She carefully studied the names and quotes and Ben's thoughts about his patients scribbled onto the pages hastily. For some journals she discovered he had taken next to no notes, and instead had doodled and played tick-tack-toe. Finally she pulled the last of journals from the shelves. Tate's name was pressed into the cover by a heavy hand, the pen dragged out his name. She stared down at it. This was her chance to see into his mind… Just as she cracked open the cover there was a sound. A heavy breath coming from behind her, almost like someone was panting, breathing down the back of her neck. She whipped around to yell at whomever but no one was there. She stood to look around the doorway, studied the room around her. A creak. Slowly she looked around before horror hit her. Her heart plummeted and the nerves in her fingers felt like they were on fire. Her neck bent back as she looked above her. The scream got stuck in her throat. _

_ Above her was the Rubber Man. His black body stretched over the entire ceiling like a spider staring down at her. Red eyes glowed through the slits in the mask. He breathed down at her, the stench of sulfur and rot filled the room. He opened his mouth and maggots fell out, wriggling around her feet and some fell into her hair. She screamed finally and swatted at them. He smiled._

_ "Hello Violet." She couldn't truly comprehend his words. They sounded hissed and mangled, like his tongue was slit down the middle. But she knew what he was saying. _

Violet violently awoke. She flailed on the moth- eaten couch, her heat violently shivering in her chest. It took her another moment to calm down and catch her breath. A dream, she thought, it was just a dream. Violet sat up, shaken that ghosts could even HAVE dreams. She quickly checked the ceiling of the room then walked out as fast as she could, checking over her shoulder as she walked.

"Mom?" She shouted towards the kitchen. At first no answer, Violet's gut twisted, but then her mom leaned around the door and smiled.

"He, Vi," She said. William was cradled in her arms, smiling as Violet walked closer. In the kitchen she discovered Travis and Maria. Both smiled warmly at Violet as she walked in. Maria was beautiful to say the least, her black loose curls hung down her back in cascading sweeps. Her tan skin always looked healthy, aside from the dark circles around her eyes and the bruising that showed occasionally. She still had the simple gold cross that hung around her neck, every so often Violet would catch her stroking it with a lost look in her eyes.

Vivien turned to Maria, gently handing over William so that she could hold him. His soft pudgy arms hung loosely as his side and his warm little body fit into Maria's arms perfectly. Violet knew that almost all the women stuck in the house craved a child of their own, someday maybe she would also, but mostly she just craved her old life.

It was comforting to sit and listen to the chatter of people when her dream had scared her so badly. She would never admit her fear to anyone of course, if they accused her of strange behavior she would deny it full heartedly. Truth was she was still trembling, checking every corner and jumping at the slightest noise. Eventually she got bored of hearing Travis and Maria coo a thousand times over William and her mom's constant pestering attempts to start a conversation with her.

Her bedroom door was cracked open. She paused warily, considering her options of just turning around and ignoring it. But it was her room, or at least to her it still felt that way. She silently pushed the door just little more so that she could peek in. Her breath caught. Tate was standing in front of chalkboard, writing a word and then angrily rubbing it away with a frustrated groan. His hair was the same flaxen gold curls that brushed down his neck, despite herself she felt a urge to run a hand through those curls… She studied the way his broad shoulders hunched down a little as if he were embarrassed in his own skin, the way his back had an easy relaxed curve and posture. Violet's throat started to constrict, angry tears burning the back of her eyes. It was his fault. Tate made her love him, Tate made her hate him. It was his fault that she was aching so badly inside… her heart still trying to mend years later. It didn't help that they lived in the same house and that she could feel his presence no matter where she tried to escape to. If only…, Violet wished silently.

She suddenly shook herself. He raped her mom and lied to her, Violet reminded herself. I'm supposed to hate him, she angrily screamed in her head. With sudden ferocity she shoved the bedroom door open with a bang. He startled like a cat sticking its paw in the fish bowl. He jumped around to face her. She saw the emotion flash through his features like a picture book. He was so easy to read, everything written so plainly on his face now that he had nothing to hide from her. She saw the love and the guilt and the longing and lust in his expression.

"What are you doing?"

"Um… I was trying to write something." He mumbled. He ducked his head down and looked at her from under his lashes.

"Well don't." She threw the words at him with enough force that a small gasp of air escaped his parted lips. "You should go. This is my room."

He bit his lip and lingered by the chalkboard, as if considering going against her and staying. But he slowly walked to the bedroom door, bumping shoulders with Violet and brushing his hand casually against hers. Her heart ached but she held onto her fading anger as tightly as she could. Then he was gone. The air came back to the room and she could breathe again. She stared at the quickly scribbled "I miss you" on the chalkboard.


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry guys that it's taken me so long to post this chapter! For some reason i've be getting a lot of writing blocks or just haven't had the time. If this sucks i'm sorry :( thanks for the favs/follows and please keep reviewing! **

1994, six months before the school shooting

Hisses and whispers floated around the room constantly. There was no way to escape the constant voices murmuring in his ears. Sleeping didn't help, nor did music. Nothing allowed him a small break from the constant torment of his mind.

The sun was starting to edge past the edge of his window, shining into the room and signal that it was time for Tate to wake up. His dry eyes blinked for the millionth time up at the ceiling. It was barley past four in the morning but he swung his feet out onto the cold hard floor. He slipped into his jacket and shoes before slowly creeping down the hall. Addie's door was swung open, her little body hidden under layers of thick blankets. Her brown hair hung out in a long braid that must have taken her all night. Tate took a moment to study her, she was precious to him. Addie was so innocent, her big brown eyes looked at the world expecting the best from life. She was so naïve but Tate wanted to protect that. He continued walking, Larry's heavy snoring drifted down the hall. The sound made Tate brim with anger, his sleep deprived body shook slightly. This man, Larry, was not his father. He had no right sleeping next to Tate's mother, had no right to act as if they were family or as if he cared about Tate. Larry was just like any other man, controlled by lust. He even burned his family to get Constance. Disgusting.

As he reached the area where the attic stairs could be pulled down he paused. The familiar sounds of rustling chains and grunts, along with the soft laughs were gone. Beau was gone… Tate's chest ached. He'd failed, yet again to protect his brother. Tate remembered the nights when Beau would scream and cry, lonely for attention and love that he never received from Constance. I'm sorry, Tate thought.

Outside the crisp night air was like a fresh slap to the face. It woke him up and pulled him out of his zombie state. He started jogging down the road, leaping over the curb. The pumping of his legs and rush of adrenaline shot through him. If he closed his eyes it was almost like flying. Tate imagined he was a bird pushing up through the clouds; he could leave this horrid place and these horrid people. It could be just him in the sky.

The toe of his shoe caught on a rock, jerking him out of his day dream. Cursing he stumbled to his knees. Tate winced looking at the cuts, not deep but they would hurt later on. The sound of waves and sea birds reached his ears. Just down the road the sea lapped hungrily at the shore, tearing off small chunks at a time. He walked slowly towards it, trying to absorb the giant, endless, blue mass with his eyes. It was a wild beast, nothing could control it. Tate stopped just at the edge; the sea reached for his shoes but didn't quite touch. The horizon was a clear crisp line, no buildings or trees to block the view.

Somewhere on the other side was a whole different world, someplace better than here. The sun was coming up from the other direction, burning a golden fiery path across the ocean. Tate watched it blaze and burn for a while, the waves crashed around him. He felt calm after staring at the wild ocean for a while. Finally he turned back and jogged home.

He swung open the kitchen door as silently as he could.

"Out running again?"

Tate turned to look at his mother. In the morning her hair was down in loose blonde curls that fell to her shoulder, her lipstick from last night was smeared around the corners, and her robe was twisted around her waist. She stood at the stove flipping pancakes and smoking. He didn't say anything, just kicked off his shoes.

"How's track?" She continued to pester him.

"Fine." The word was cold and short, clipped at the end. Tate saw her mouth purse at his answer. Just then Addie ran in, her long night gown swirling around her ankles. She smiled at Tate, her face splitting down the middle in joy. He smiled back at her.

"Morning, Addie."

"Good morning Tate!" She wrapped her arms around his waist for a brief moment and then sat the kitchen counter. Constance quickly slapped a pancake on the plate in front of Addie without a word to her daughter. Larry entered the kitchen just as Tate was trying to leave.

"Good morning my dear," Larry said kissing Constance on the neck. Tate felt bile rise up his throat, blinded momentarily by rage. How could they act like everything was okay? This man killed Beau! Despite what Constance said Tate knew deep in his heart that Larry killed his brother… "Morning Tate and Addie." He said with a false smile to them.

Tate fled up to his room. He quickly pulled on fresh clothes and washed under his eyes, hoping to look like he got at least a little sleep. He grabbed a book, his only way to survive highschool. He ran out the front door just in time to make the bus.

"Oh, look who's late again." said a venomous voice. "Mommy forget to make your lunch?" Tate didn't turn around to see who his tormenter was this time. Several other people laughed, their voices ran through Tate's brain like static. It hissed and blurred together, making Tate ache from the inside out.

Another long day…

The day was blur. The book he was reading eventually lost interest, there was only so many times you could read about the wonders of India. Instead his mind wandered to a fantasy of his. It was him, war paint smeared across his face. Leather combat boots stomping down the hall, warning the people that he was coming. Just as he reached the first class room he pulled out his gun, it hung by his side like a snake waiting to strike. He looked over their scared faces, satisfaction flushing through him. They finally knew, they finally understood the terror and suppressed anger and sadness he felt every day. He cocked the gun and pointed at the first face. Oh, she knew, she knew the horror he felt. He smiled at her then pulled the trigger.

It gave him a sweeping sense of ecstasy to hear the gurgled scream.

Tate jerked himself out of his day dream, chills sweeping over him. He opened his eyes and realized he was alone in the library. All alone. Were those my thoughts? He wondered.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys! I'm soooorrrrry this has taken me sooo long. I suck. I've been super busy with school and other things. So this continues with Violet, I'm thinking my next one will be from Ben's POV. Please keep reviewing, I live for reviews (bad and good) also thank you for the favs/follows!**

Chad was right, the backyard lost its glow after a few visits. It wasn't as bad as being stuck in the house, mused Violet. She stared at the high wooden fence. On the other side was another world, the living world. A clear and visible property line dissected the dead from the living. A robin flittered onto the bird bath, quickly jumping in and hopping around in the shallow water. Violet smiled watching it. It was so beautiful… red blazed on its chest, its wings and body were a dusty gray and beak a bright yellow. Violet wished she could run her fingers along its smooth little body and tiny head. As she thought this the little bird took off, flying high overhead into the blue sky. It was free.

Violet sighed and brushed off the dirt from the back of her skirt. To be a bird was to be free.

The house air was stale. Dust motes floated in the sunlight shining through the windows. Reaching into a desk drawer she pulled out her pack of cards, maybe Vivien would want to play. Violet was almost at the top of the stairs, around the corner so that she couldn't see the front door when it opened but she felt it. It was like stars exploding in her body, a cosmic energy taking over. Violet knew that everyone else in the house felt it to. She quickly made sure that she was invisible then ran down the steps to see who it was. It was two teens a little bit older than her, a boy and a girl. The boy was tall, his black hair tucked into a beanie, and he was wearing a loose Slipknot t-shirt. The girl was average, her brown hair yanked up into a pony tail and big owl glasses pushed up her nose. Their hands were laced together.

Violet stared at them. The others were gathered in doorways watching. Patrick was eyeing the boy up and down. Angela and Margret were pulling at their mom's skirt saying "please can they play with us?". Vivien and Ben stood side by side holding William between them.

"It's abandoned?" The girl whispered looking around the hallway. "It's a beautiful house."

"Yeah," the boy shrugged. "But all the past owners have died." Slowly his head turned to look at her, his eyes wide and mouth slightly open in mock horror.

"Stop it!" she squealed and smacked his arm. They laughed and fell into each other's arms.

"You don't believe in ghosts do you?" He said with raised eyebrows and a smirk.

"No," she huffed. Violet walked behind them up the stairs to her room. She was in a trance watching them. They were so… alive. Those stupid kids didn't even realize how ALIVE they were, Violet cursed. She watched as the boy unrolled a blanket and a pillow onto the ground along with a couple beers and a blunt. She watched them sit and drink and smoke. So stupid, she chanted over and over. Suddenly they were kissing, lips locked and groaning into each other's mouths.

Rage grabbed her suddenly. The sounds of the couple making out faded into a static. A deep voice whispered into her ear, _"Kill them."_ It chanted it over and over. Violet's body moved forward without her command. It was like being hypnotized.

She grabbed the boys hair, ripping back on it as hard as she could. His scream of pain sent a shiver of pleasure up her spine. Violet used all her strength to haul him back away from the girl; he flailed and screamed, howling for the girl to help. She was on the ground screaming in surprise and terror with her free arm covering her boobs.

Violet wanted to grab him by the back of the head and crank as far left as she could. Violet wanted to hear his brain stem snap. She wanted to see his head wobble and fall lifeless to his chest. She was about to kill him when she looked in his terrified brown eyes and realized what was happening.

Violet froze. What am I doing? She let go of the shivering boy quickly scrambling away from him as fast as she could. Piss pooled around him. Turning Violet fled to the attic.

The musty stifling darkness of the attic surrounded her, wrapping and hanging from her shoulders like a cloak. She muffled her cries against her arm, tears burning like hot oil down her cheeks. What was that? What possessed her to do something like that? Violet wasn't a violent person… she could defend herself but she wouldn't go out of her way to hurt someone. She remembered that bodiless voice that had hissed in her ear, commanding her to kill the boy. Was she finally going crazy? Was she becoming a monster like everyone else in this house?

Violet slammed her fist twice against the wall. "Let me out," She moaned. How much more could she take of this?

Chains rattled and dragged across the floor behind Violet. Beau croaked her name and leaped forward, putting all his weight on his hands like a gorilla. It still pained Violet to see him, the poor sweet soul stuck in this house and chained in the attic all because of his appearance. She managed to smile and wave at him. He passed the ball back and forth between them, clapping and laughing every time. With Beau things felt a little better, he was free at heart and he enjoyed the little things. Violet wished she could be like that.

Eventually her thoughts turned to the intruders, the boy and girl, and the urge to hurt them had possessed her body. She shivered. Violet would never want to kill someone… What was happening? The gloomy darkness hung around them, and when Violet stared into it long enough she thought she saw a unfamiliar pair of eyes flash at her.


	9. Chapter 9

**hey guys keep reviewing! :D**

Vivien's POV

Times could be much worse, she reflected. Once upon a time her life had been falling in shining chunks around her. A miscarriage, an unfaithful marriage, a rebellious daughter. Blessings come in mysterious disguises. Maybe the haunted house that had ultimately led to so many peoples' deaths could be her salvation. Vivien knew in her heart she could change the way the ghosts lived their lives, in the past all the ghosts had lived separately but now maybe they could join together as a dysfunctional family?

Several people had come together to join the Harmon family, people who were sick of living alone and in misery. Misery can't last for eternity, Vivien knew that much. Moria, Maria, Gladys, Travis, Chad and Patrick helped take care of William on a regular basis.

She walked through the house, feeling along the walls and the soft wallpaper. Sunlight filtered through the windows and fluttered around her, warm and buttery it soaked into her bones. The voices of the other ghosts whispered in the air so faint that she could barely hear them, just a reminder that they were there.

She walked into her bedroom hoping to find Ben. She hardly ever used the space except to keep William and put him down for naps. The room was empty. Where could Ben be? It was rare not to bump into someone or easily find them. But it was important that they each had their own personal time, especially in house that was so lacking in privacy. Sighing she wandered out of the room.

As Vivien crossed a section in the hallway where it crossed with another, creating a four corners intersection she spotted someone standing at Violet's bedroom door. She froze staring at him. Tate's head jerked up to stare at her. The expression on his face yanked at Vivien's gut, it was a look of horror mixed with concern. She stepped towards the door, he glanced back through the crack then disappeared. Vivien stopped at the place Tate had just stood, feeling the lingering chill that he had left. Violet's door was cracked up only enough that Vivien had to lean forward and press her eye against the crack. Squinting she could make out the lower half of Violet's body sprawled out on the floor. Vivien hesitantly knocked. Her stomach was sinking, a sink feeling consuming her. When Violet didn't respond she shoved the door open.

The bedroom was empty as always, picked clean like the bones of a deceased animal. The corners of the room seemed pooled with shadow. The room was surprisingly cold; Vivien wrapped her arms around herself. She stared down at Violet. Her arms lay straight next to her, her head dipped to one side and the soft sound of Violet breathing calmed Vivien. She was sleeping, Vivien thought in relief staring down at her daughter. But the longer Vivien watched Violet sleep she noticed something. Violet's hands and feet were fading in and out of visibility, pulsing like a heartbeat. Vivien reached down to touch her daughters hand but felt nothing. Her hand was completely gone. Gasping she reached to shake Violet's shoulders but before she could make contact her eyes snapped open. Violet stared wild eyed up at Vivien.

"Mom!" She gasped. Vivien grabbed her daughter and pulled her to her chest, holding her firmly there. Now that Violet was awake her body was solid and stable. Violet leaned against her, taking deep breaths and shuddering.

"Are you okay?" Vivien asked, petting back her hair.

"Yeah it was just a nightmare…" Violet trailed off. "You can let me go." She shook off her mother and stomped out of the room. That was Violet, always trying to be fierce. Vivien stared around the bedroom. What had just happened? One person might know the answer.

Vivien stayed away from the basement, she never one stepped down into the dark trenches. Evil lived there and it was better to stay away. Marching determinedly down the steps she held her head high. She was a ghost now, Vivien knew that, and Hayden or anyone else could not hurt her anymore. The basement was gray and depressing, the walls were soaked thanks to the dripping pipes. Vivien stood still at the bottom of the stairs, hoping that he would come to her, but after several minutes of waiting she gave up and moved farther forward into the darkness.

After checking several rooms Vivien found him sitting on a crate leaning his back against the wall. He turned his head slowly to penetrate her with his eyes. Her heart stumbled and quivered, fear gripping her. This boy who appeared so charming and innocent on the outside was truly a monster, the father of her only living son and her rapper. She swallowed thickly.

"What was that?" she managed to say. Her tongue felt thick and heavy, like lead in her mouth. He looked away, fiddling with a piece of string in his lap. His shoulders bent down around his body, trying to hide himself. Good, Vivien thought, the tiny amount of guilt and sorrow he felt was nothing to her crushing anger and the filthiness she felt. "What was that?" She repeated, this time the words snapped off her tongue like daggers.

"I don't know," He said. "Is she okay?" His eyes turned to look at her.

"She's fine, but I want to know the truth. What was that?"

"I don't know, I've never seen that happen to anyone before." He said.

"You're no help." She snarled. Turning sharply on her heel she started to march out. Tate jumped up from the crate and lunged forward, his hand almost grazing Vivien's arm.

"Wait! Vivien, I'm sorry! I'm so –"

"Come near my daughter or my family again and I'll torture you for the rest of your miserable existents." She cut him off. Her words fell like cold stone. He flinched but she was already gone, hardly caring about him.

As Vivien mounted the first stair she heard someone catch their breath behind her. Turning she saw Ben coming closer to her. She stared at him, puzzled.

` "What are you doing down here?" She asked.

"I could ask you the same," He grinned. "I came looking for you." He said as he passed her on the stairs, back slightly turned towards her. Vivien stared as he walked up the steps leaving her behind.


	10. Chapter 10

**hey guys! this is a short chapter, but someone asked me to post it and i thought "better just do it!". I'm sorry if this chapter is really confusing since so much happens but isn't is explained****! Please just keep reading everything will be explained :) Thank you for the favs/follows please keep reviewing **

Hayden's POV

Could a ghost die of boredom? It seemed possible after being stuck in the basement for nearly four years. Hayden sighed and wandered aimlessly around the basement. Why was she cursed to this existence? Hayden knew she deserved more than this dank basement. The house should belong to her; if Vivien was gone the house would be different. Hayden imagined the house where the ghosts could live in harmony, where no one was cast down to the basement.

Children's laughter drifted towards Hayden. She peeked around the corner to see Angela and Margret playing with Travis. He was crouched down next to the girls, a tiara balanced on his head. Old teapots and cups were spread on the table before them. Hayden smiled and laughed watching them. Travis lifted the teacup to his lips to amuse the girls. She leaned against the frame of the doorway.

"I didn't know you were such a ladies man, Travis." They jerked around to look at her. Travis laughed self-consciously, the girls sat quietly. Hayden felt a sinking sensation. Was she really such a pain-in-the-ass that even the burned girls didn't want to talk to her? She smiled a little to brush it off and then continued with the usual tour.

Sadness and rage swelled like cancer in Hayden's chest. Why couldn't she be accepted? Didn't she matter to anyone? When she died only one person looked for her, Marla, Hayden's only sister. In the long run Hayden never mattered. A long time ago she'd lost her father's privilege when she choose to attend a different college then the family tradition of going to Brown. Her mother was a weak woman, Hayden had always hated her.

Stopping at the bottom of the stairs she looked up at the faint crack of light that filtered down to her. The strip of cold light landed across her eyes, making them burn. She could hear the baby wailing, the sounds of Vivien and Ben talking. Hayden imagined them standing in the kitchen all crowded together like one big happy family. She spat on the floor. Rage flowed through her veins. Vivien didn't deserve another baby and Ben didn't deserve another chance at his marriage. Hayden felt the almost nonexistent bump on her stomach. Nothing lived inside of her now. Her soul ached for the feeling of a baby nestled to her chest and the love of a man.

_"Hayden…" _ Her name floated out of the darkness, tickling her ears. Turning slowly she looked as deep into the shadows that she could. A flicker of white. Stepping forward she submerged herself.

Cold air danced along her skin, chills racked her bones. Shadows blinded her as she walked deeper into the catacombs of the basement. "Hello?" She whispered.

_"Hello child…"_ Said the voice. Hayden froze, fear struck in her heart but also surprise and wonder. Something spoke to her; it spoke to her ears but also her heart. It whispered her greatest fears and desires. She stood still, twisting around to see where the voice came from. Out of the darkness reached a elongated pale hand. Its spider fingers stroked the tender underside of her arm. Hayden stiffened. More hands reached out and touched her. They were not connected to a body. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a figure slide silently in the shadows, a distorted face turned to watch her, but when she whipped around to face him he was gone. Again, only out of the corner of her eye could she barely see him.

"Who are you?" She snapped. Hayden had no patience for games.

_"I am stuck here as well, like you." _

"You're a ghost. What do you want?" She shivered as the hands continued to stroke her skin.

_"I need something from you." _

"Depends," she was interested now. "What's in it for me?" A chuckle drifted through the darkness.

_"Bring me Ben Harmon and you may have him. I will help you destroy your enemies." _

She didn't trust whoever this ghost was but what he offered could possibly be the best thing that had happened to her yet. She had all of eternity and nothing to lose, why not? Hayden grinned, her eyes searching the darkness.

_"Lure him into adultery, make him yours…" _

"Good enough for me." She laughed. This was just too good. Suddenly the hands gripped her, they held her arms in an iron grip. She shrieked and snarled but there was only silence from the darkness. Slowly, out of the corner of her eye she could see a ghostly white figure coming up to her… He approached her slowly.


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey guys! I'm sorry that the past chapter was so confusing, a lot happened that hasn't been explained. This chapter really isn't that much better. Just use your imagination and put pieces together. Thank you for the reviews! Please keep giving me good and bad feedback, it really helps. Thank you for the follows/favs!**

**_"Evil attracts more evil. The Evil that resides in this house uses the people who live her as a conduct to the real world" ~ Billie Dean Howard_**

Constance's POV

A cigarette never tasted better after a tiring day. The smoke was sweet and heavy, floating around her face like a veil. She took a long drag and swallowed down the toxic delicious smoke. It was an awful habit, it pulled more money from her pocket then it was worth. The dry ash stumbled off the edge like a man leaping from a cliff; it fell with a hiss and died. Absently she flicked it from the dinner table to the floor.

Michael was standing at the window, his hands hung slack at his sides, eyes fixed on something that Constance couldn't see. This was his regular routine. He stood at the window staring at the Murder House until something pulled him away. Constance took another long drag. She reminded him so much of Tate, already showing his murderous side at such a young age. This was her chance to finally do something right in this world. She had failed all of her other children and her purpose as a mother but she could try again.

The back door creaked open without a knock.

"Finally you're here," Constance stamped out her cigarette. Billie Dean sashayed up to the table and elegantly slid into a chair, a cigarette pinched between her long pink nails.

"I got here as soon as I could." She said.

Michael was staring; Constance could feel it like cold ice sliding down her back. Billie Dean uncomfortably darted her eyes in his direction. She only agreed to come to the house on the condition that Michael never be present when she was here.

"Michael, darling, go up to your room." Constance turned to give him a smile. The little boy smiled back but his eyes stayed fixed on Billie Dean. Silently he went upstairs.

Billie Dean visibly relaxed as soon as he was out of sight. She brushed a hand across her forehead.

"You should get rid of him," She said. "He's not worth the pain he'll cause."

Constance went rigid. The pain Michael would cause… he was evil, born from the sins that his father committed, her own son Tate, Constance knew that. She'd witnessed firsthand what little Michael could truly do.

"He's my grandson," Constance said coldly. Billie Dean lifted her shoulders in a careless dainty shrug. Envy burned in Constance's gut, this woman who leaned at her kitchen table with her ankles crossed and bright pink nails splayed across the table had her youth and looks. Constance had lost that… when she'd lived in Virginia she was the pageant queen. At sixteen Constance fell madly in love with the handsome young man who brought her flowers and bought her coke-a-cola when they went on dates. She was never pretty enough for him though…

Constance pinched down her envy, rolling her shoulders back and squaring her jaw. She waved a hand at Billie Dean. "Let's get on with it."

Billie Dean shot her a cold look then momentarily closed her eyes. Constance waited. Billie Dean's eyebrows furrowed together, a long drawn out sigh workings its way past her thin lips.

"It's hard with _his_ aura in the house." She groaned, eyes still closed. "Adie is moving farther into the veil… I can barely hear her."

"Veil?" A hand pressed itself to her heart. Losing Adie permanently never crossed Constance's mind.

"Yes, the veil. Imagine something like purgatory, as the soul moves farther out of our world of conscience it enters a new world of conscience. This place I cannot reach, nor would I want to."

"Well can you bring her back?" Constance's voice was rising, her heart starting to tremble. Adie, she thought, please don't abandon me… I'm sorry! Please don't go.

"No, a soul goes when it can and cannot come back as far as I know." Billie Dean flipped back her hair then reached over to Constance's hand to give it a short sympathetic pat. "You should be happy for her; it isn't healthy for a soul to be stuck in our world."

"No, no of course it isn't…" Constance ran hand through her blonde curls. Her mind seemed at a blank, Adie was gone? She just couldn't fully wrap her head around it. She'd never lost any of her loved ones, not even her cheating bastard husband. Tate, Beau, and Hugo all lived at the Murder House. Even though Adie hadn't died on the property Constance thought that through Billie Dean she could still be with her daughter. But now, for the first time, Constance had lost her child. She'd dealt with so much death, but never loss.

"I should go then," said Billie Dean. She shoved back the chair with a squeal against the linoleum. Glancing over to the living room where Michael had been she shuddered. Saying one final goodbye to the poor woman at the table Billie Dean left. Out the door she shook off the disgusting fowl aura that clung to everything it came near to. The little boy's aura was worse than his fathers, worse than anything she'd ever encountered. To sit in the same house that he was in gave her nauseating chills.

Constance rocked back in her chair and then forward to lean her head on her arms. She steeled herself against the aching in her chest. A freezing cold hand touched her arm. Jumping Constance whipped around to stare down into her grandsons bottomless empty black eyes. She felt a sense of horror and fear sweep across her skin like a light chill breeze. But it soon passed. She smiled slightly and smoothed a hand over his curls.

Michael was her second chance.


	12. Chapter 12

Violet's POV

Why did she always end up at the window? Violet wondered. Her nose was pressed to the cold glass and eyes were closed. It felt like freedom to stand there, like the only thing holding her back was the inch of glass. She sighed. Oh to be a ghost, to be something so vast and endless with no meaning. It wouldn't be so bad if she wasn't stuck in this house day and night. Violet ached all over her entire soul felt weighed down and tired. Lately she hadn't even been able to escape the house through her dreams; she was too terrified to sleep. Nightmares plagued her every time she managed to close her eyes. Nightmares about a man in a black rubber suit stretched like a spider over the entire house, eyes burning red like the coals of Hell. The man would hiss incoherent words to her from behind the mask. Were they nightmares about Tate? He had often worn the suit during their short romance.

Violet breathed out slowly. William was crying. His wails and screeches echoed through the thin walls of the house. Everyone was at the edge of their tolerance. Violet could feel it; the way everyone was balanced at the edge of the cliff below was a turbulent ocean, eager to rip them apart. The happiness was fading rapidly and reality was setting in. Vivien had recently taken to pulling at her hair and handing William over to Moria. Ben had been acting reserved more than usual. It wasn't just the baby; it was the stale air, the coldness that was seeping into the house. It was pacing the cage they lived in day after day after day.

A movement outside the window in the backyard caught her attention suddenly. A little kid, maybe five or six. He stood in the backyard staring at the house. Violet leaned closer to the window, was he going to do something? Throw a rock and break a window? Play? But the longer she watched he didn't move an inch. Just stood there staring at the house. Unnerved Violet turned away from the window.

She stood at the back door, debating with herself. She could step out and ask him what he was doing? She could play with him or just talk…Glancing back over her shoulder she saw that no one was watching. Quickly opening the door and slipping out faster than a fox she darted around the hedges into the back yard.

Instantly the boys head snapped up, eyes darting to her. Violet slowed down as she walked towards him. Her footsteps pressed deeply into the grass. This is stupid, she thought, I'm going to get caught.

"Hello," Violet said. He tilted his head towards her in acknowledgment. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

"I can hear someone." He said turning his attention back to the house. Violet's eyebrows furrowed.

"What's it saying?" She asked leaning down on her knees. The boys nose was straight, his face still chubby and cute, curls of blonde hair fell into his eyes. He looked so eerily familiar to her that for a second her heart ached for another boy who looked so similar.

"That I am his son."

Violet was speechless. She stared at him harder, a sinking sensation in her stomach.

"VIOLET!" Two voices yelled her name. One was her mother's shrill screech of fear, the other a more desperate voice. Violet jerked back from the boy like he was a live wire. Scrambling backward she quickly ran around to the back of the house. Her mother stood at the doorway, fury and fear in her eyes. She grabbed Violet by the arms and yanked her inside. Violet slammed against the wall, her mother pressed close to her chest. "Why would you do that?" Vivien snarled.

Instantly Violet's walls went up. She didn't like to take orders, let alone from her parents. "I'm fine." She snapped.

"When you do something like that Violet you put us all in danger. The house already has a reputation the last thing we need is more teenagers breaking in and a house tour to find 'Violet Harmon the Dead Girl brought back to Life'!"

Violet slapped away Vivien's hands, shoving her mother away and sprinting down the hall. Violet wasn't stupid and she wasn't putting people at risk, all she wanted was fresh air and someone new to talk to… Angry tears burned the back of her eyes but she quickly knuckled them away. She wasn't one to cry so easily.

As she rushed down the hallway she hesitated at the basement door. For a second she just wanted to have a friend again, a lonely companion. She just wanted someone… someone again. She was sick of the hatred in heart and the loneliness that made her bones ache. Nudging the basement door open with her toe she stared down. She ran down the steps, plunging head first.


	13. Chapter 13

Mean while… Ben Harmon's POV

The inside of his skull was pounding. The throbbing felt like a rock being repeatedly smashed against the inside of his head. God, did I drink the Seagrams again? He thought to himself. Slowly he opened his eyes. The world in front of him swam and spun, colors blurring together like wet paint. Ben groaned and tried to concentrate past the pounding in his head. A pale face came in and out of focus. Slowly he realized it was Hayden. Her brown eyes and pointed nose dominated her face.

"Ben," She gasped, her hands lifting and brushing around his face. Ben jerked back, groaning at the pain in his head. Why was he here? Slowly the memory came back…

_Ben stood in his office, again and again going through Tate's journal. What had he missed? Why hadn't he been able to see all the subtle signs of the hold Tate had on his daughter and family? Rage again made Ben's vision turn red. He slammed the journal down on his desk, grinding his teeth until his jaw ached. _

_ "You need to relax," Hayden's voice said. Turning Ben saw her sitting on the couch watching him. He glared at her but she didn't try any of her usual tricks to seduce him. She just stared, her expression tight. Slowly she stood, her eyes staying locked on him. Her arm brushed his shoulder as she reached past and grabbed Tate's journal. _

_ "You want revenge?" She asked while flipping through it. _

_ "He's already dead, what more can I do?" Ben said bitterly. Hayden's brown eyes flickered to his._

_ "We could think of something." Her smile was devious on the borderline of insane, he'd seen it more than once. But this time he welcomed it. _

_ Next thing Ben knew, he was in the basement tearing at Hayden's clothes hungrily. She was clawing down his back, her moans echoing in his ears. He couldn't control himself, and more importantly he didn't want to. But then all of the sudden Hayden's moans turned to screams, her eyes locked on something behind Ben. He twisted his neck to look but white hands with long spidery fingers reached out and grabbed his face. Excoriating pain made Ben twist and convulse. And then nothing but blackness. _

Ben gasped from the memory, his eyes searching Hayden's haunted and scared face for answers.

"What happened?" He managed to choke out. Before Hayden could open her mouth a wail came from the other side of the room. Slowly managing to turn his head Ben saw Vivien staring at them. Her hands were clasped around her mouth, eyes brimming with angry tears.

"You promised!" She screamed.

"This isn't what it looks like Viv," Ben gasped, trying to sit up and then collapsing in pain. Hayden laid a hand on his shoulder.

"She already knows," she said softly. Ben stared at Hayden and then slowly back at Vivien, she couldn't even stand to look back at him. She yanked on her curls, hiding her face behind the curtain of her hair. Silence consumed the air, there was no point in anymore lies and excuses. She knew that and he knew that.


	14. Chapter 14

**"The devil is real. And he's not a little red man with horns and a tail. He can be beautiful."**

Violet's POV

Immediately Violet didn't notice the sound, or rather the lack of it. She stiffened and strained her ears. No whispers or laughs of the burned girls, no nasally whining of Hayden.

"Tate?" She called softly. Instantly she wished she'd kept her mouth shut. Violet's voice was swallowed into the darkness; silence screamed back at her. Blindly she stumbled along the basement, feeling along the damp cement walls. Gasping she turned to flee back to the upper floor into the comfort of her family and the sunshine that filtered through the cold dusty windows. Desperately she looked for the small crack of light underneath the door to guide her back upstairs but it was gone. Panicking she started to suck down mouthfuls of dank air, her hands flailing in the murky blackness in front of her.

Get a grip, she sternly thought. Violet stood still, straining her ears for the sounds of anyone coming near her. Silence. She trudged forward, her feet dragging as if stuck in mud. Father into the next room Violet knew there was a door that would let in some light and she could go into the backyard. A shaft of pale light shone across the floor in the next room, like a lighthouse guiding a boat to safety. Violet slowly walked towards it, her combat boots clicking on the floor. Violet stepped into the next room, only feet away from escaping the basement.

"You shouldn't be here." A voice shot from the darkness behind her. Violet turned sharply on her heel with a shriek of surprise. Squinting she could distinctly make out blonde curls and a small chubby face. It was the boy from earlier.

"I should say the same to you." Violet snapped. The boys eyes sparked dangerously, the little light that came from the door reflected off of his eyes like an animals. Violet's gut was twisting, something wasn't right.

Distantly Violet heard familiar voices. She turned to look over her shoulder. Mom? Dad? The little boy stepped past her, heading towards the voices. Violet knew that she should walk out the door but curiosity gripped her. Following slowly Violet went deeper into the labyrinth.

It wasn't long before she found the source of the voices. A bare light bulb swung from the center of the room, its light making the people who stood in the room look sickly. Vivien stood at one corner of the room, her hands pressed in horror to her mouth. Ben kneeled heal naked in the center of the room, his head bowed. Hayden stood in on corner, shadows wrapped around her, her arms were rigid and stiff, her face was twisted as if in pain. Violet shoved the little boy aside and quickly stepped into the room.

"What's going on?" Her voice was low but deadly. It looked to her as if Ben had gotten caught in the act yet again.

"Violet!" Vivien gasped, one hand reaching towards her daughter. But before she could say more a strangling sound came from her throat. Gagging Vivien jerked away from Violet. Violet looked from her mother to father in confusion. Her body itched to run away, her gut twisting. If she still had a pulse it would be pounding. Hayden twitched violently.

"I didn't think you would come Violet," a familiar voice drifted from the darkness behind Ben. Violet froze; the voice made her ache but the words didn't match. Tate walked slowly out of shadows, his hands behind his back and a sly smile on his face. Was he trying to force Violet to be with him? She glared at him.

"What is this, Tate?" Her voice had an edge to it. He shrugged nonchalantly, blonde curls falling into his eyes. Violet took a step toward him, trying to see his face better. His eyes… They looked pained. Tate's eyes flickered behind her, the blood drained from his face. The little boy stepped around Violet. Now that Violet could see them standing next to each other the resemblance was beyond striking, the little boy was an exact match to Tate. Violet's jaw clenched anger and disgust boiling her blood. Suddenly Tate's knees buckled… slowly he collapsed as if under a heavy weight. He looked up at Violet, his eyes silently begging.

_"My son," _a voice hissed behind Tate. Slowly the image of a man appeared. His skin was porcelain white, eyes pitch black. His face was beautiful, chiseled cheek bones and straight nose. He looked like a marble statue come to life. The little boy looked away from Tate to the other man, his face lighting up suddenly. The man smiled. Violet stumbled away from him towards her mother.

"Who are you?" Violet managed to stammer out. Her gaze flicked from Tate to the man, back to her father and mother. What was going on? Her mother still wouldn't look at Violet, silent tears rolling down her cheeks. Ben was motionless and kneeling the same way as Tate. Hayden twitched more by the second. "What is going on!" Violet screamed.

The man looked away from his "son" to Violet. Anger and impatience clear on his face, for a second it distorted his face showing a horrifying monster, but as quickly as it came the face was gone. The man smiled slowly at Violet. His smile made her feel greasy and disgusting. _"Yes maybe I should explain a few things so that this will be simpler for you." _The man stepped behind Tate, resting his hands on Tate's shoulders. The man's fingers were long and white, reminding Violet of spiders. _"I have been trapped here since before this house was even built. And like you, dead Violet, I wish to leave." _Violet narrowed her eyes at him. Could she run fast enough to get to the door? Could she escape before something happened? But… She couldn't leave her family. Couldn't leave Tate.

_"Now, thanks to Tate,"_ The man smoothed a hand over Tate's curls. _"I have a son. He is born from violence and hatred; he is of my spirit and Tate's blood." _ The man smiled over at the little boy. His smile was full of sharp razor teeth. Violet stared in horror at Tate and the man. They… they rapped her mother for this!

"Tate… is that true?" her voice cracked. His eyes widened but no words could ease the sinking feeling in her chest.

_"No, don't blame poor Tate." _The man crooned with a twisted smile. _"You see, to finally have a son for myself I needed a body that could impregnate a woman. I possessed Tate, although most of the time he didn't know. I planted the seed in his mind, corrupted him and made him my puppet. He's been mine since he was alive." _The man laughed. Violet stared at Tate. Silent tears ran down his cheeks, his eyes begging her. All this time, she thought, Tate wasn't the real monster it was the demon literally possessing him. It wasn't Tate's choice to shoot those kids, or to rape Mom…

_"So you see Violet, now that I have a son I can reenter the world and-"_

"No." Violet commanded the word. She braced her feet apart and her hands curled into fists at her side. "I won't let you use Tate or my family."

The man's face twisted, his beautiful mask once again slipped to show his true features. Violet stood tall, her heart hammering. I have to… I have to. Violet couldn't be a slave to this demon, couldn't let him use her family and Tate any longer.

"Go away!" She yelled with all her anger and hatred but also fierce love and loyalty to her family. The demon threw back his head and howled with laughter. He clutched his sides and sneered at her.

"You think that will get rid of me?" He spit. Violet never realized that terror could shake your bones, split your skin and rob her of any hope she had at a new undead life. This demon was the embodiment of terror, pinning her in his sights like a butterfly under glass. She sucked in a deep breath through her teeth. Violet looked to Tate, hoping for a hero like he was Halloween night all those years ago. But he was looking at the floor, face bone white and ashen, eyes sunken in.

"One little girl couldn't get rid of demon like you." A voice commanded. Violet turned in surprise to see Billie Dean step forward. Behind her were the other ghosts of the house, Chad and Patrick, Travis and the burned girls, Moria. Twenty souls stood behind her, posed and ready to stand once and for all the life they deserved. Constance stood near the back, her brown eyes wide with shock. Her lips were pressed into a grim line. She stared at Michael then at her real son. Billie Dean rested her pink manicured nails on her hips, pursed her lips and stared down the demon. He snarled, fangs sliding down to poke into his bottom lip. Michael screamed in fury, his eyes slowly becoming red from the pupils outward. Billie Dean stepped forward with her arms raised to her sides and head thrown back. The other souls stepped forward along with her, grim and determined expressions. With every step they took the shadows and darkness seemed to retreat into a corner, desperately trying to get away from Billie Deans aura. The demon and Michael cowered, screaming louder and louder until Violet could no longer hear them. Suddenly they started to disintegrate… The demon howled and screamed, his hands disappearing into ash before his eyes. He rushed at Billie Dean, murder in his eyes but before he reached her he was a pile of ash. Michael was gone to.

Billie Dean collapsed to her knees, all her strength and aura fled leaving her weak and empty for the moment. She panted and weakly tried to stand. Travis and Patrick rushed to help her. Constance ran to Tate grabbing his face and looked into his eyes. She started crying and tried to hug him but he pushed her aside with a stiff arm. Violet gulped as he stood tall and straight, but his eyes were still timid and haunted. He stepped towards Violet but before he could reach her she was swarmed by her mother and father.

Ben and Vivien grabbed Violet, huddling into a mass together with her as the single neutron that held them together. Ben squeezed her as hard as he could, tears in his eyes. Vivien made "shhh" sounds softly and ran a hand over Violet's hair. "You were so brave, honey." Ben said. Violet relaxed into the familiar comfort of her family, now she was safe and everything would be better than before. Maybe this was a new start to their old-new-start. As the group of souls started to drift away from each other and were about to leave the room Billie Dean raised her voice again.

"Wait!" She shouted throwing up her hands. Everyone froze. She looked at everyone individually, her gaze resting on Violet for a moment. Billie Dean smiled warmly. "The evil energy that has kept you trapped here is gone; the veil to the next world is open to you now if you choose." She said each word slowly. Immediately whispers and gasps ran through the group like electricity. Ben's hands tightened painfully on Violet's shoulders. She shrugged his away and glared up at him but he was too focused on Billie Dean.

"How?" Moria stepped forward.

Billie Dean shrugged her dainty shoulders, "It's like Dorthy, tap your ruby slippers and say 'there's no place like home'. The answer is right in front of you." She smirked. And with her last elusive remark she marched out of the room, the clicks of her high heels fading as she disappeared.

Moria ran forward and hugged Vivien. "Thank you for being a friend to me." She said quietly. And then like a blink of an eye, she was gone. Nothing but thin air. Everyone in the room gasped or shrieked in surprise.

Violet felt her head go light, the room spun around her. Moria was gone… they could all **choose** to go or to stay. Not many people had that choice. Violet looked to her mom and dad. Vivien was clutching the baby against her chest, eyes as wide as saucers.

"What do we do?" Violet asked. She desperately wanted to find Tate and know if he was moving on or not. Had he already gone without saying anything to Violet? Could she have a chance to apologize for never seeing the truth all this time?

Vivien opened her mouth but Ben blurted out, "I'm leaving." He looked at Vivien for a long time. Neither of them said anything. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek, she cringed slightly. Violet bit her lip… She could leave now, or maybe she could wait to leave? Maybe she could stay just a little longer…

"I'm staying." Violet said. She looked her parents in the eye. They knew they couldn't argue with her, she'd made her own choices for as long as they could remember. Vivien slowly shook her head.

"It's not healthy to stay stuck in this world, Violet. I'm leaving too, you should come with us. We're a family." She said.

"We haven't been a real family for a long time." Violet said. Seeing the stricken expressions on her parents faces she gently smiled. "I can choose to cross over whenever I want, Mom. I'll meet up with you."

Tears dripped down Vivien's face. Violet reached forward and they both hugged each other as tight as they could. Violet felt tears push at the back of her eyes but she desperately kept them back. Her heart ached and arms tightened around her mom… This woman, who raised her, put Band-Aids on all her cuts and bruises, who always encouraged her to fight back and be fierce. Violet was scared to move on and forward, to leave the familiarity of her dysfunctional family but every bird has to leave the nest at some point. Violet reluctantly pulled back from her mother's arms and wiped a single tear from her cheek. Ben kissed the top of her head and grabbed her shoulders.

"Be good, kiddo." He said. Violet nodded and quickly hugged him. He'd made mistakes, she thought, but he always had her back. And then with one last goodbye and more crying, they were gone. Violet felt numb staring at the space he parents had stood… I'll see them again, she thought. Violet looked around the room and realized that within the minutes she'd had with her family the majority of the ghosts had chosen to leave. They only who had chosen to stay so far were Hayden and a few others. Violet looked around for Tate, running from one basement room to another.

"He went upstairs." A snooty voice said. Violet looked back at Hayden. For once Violet had sympathy for her.

"Thank you," Violet ran towards the stairs. She knew where he was. Violet yanked down on the chain to the attic. Quickly climbing she could already hear his voice quietly speaking to Beau.

He was crouching on the floor, rolling a ball back and forth while explaining the current situation to Beau. Beau just laughed and clapped his hands. Tate rocked back on his heels sighing in exasperation. Violet cleared her throat, he tipped his head but didn't turn to look at her.

"Tate," She said, walking around to look at him. He sighed and stood up. He was a head taller than her.

"You're leaving?" He asked, he scoffed the toe of his shoe on the wood floorboards. Violet's entire body was buzzing, every nerve was begging to reach out and brush a loose blonde curl away from his eyes.

"Are you?" She asked back. Tate's dark eyes glittered, his eyebrows furrowed together.

"Violet… I need to explain something." He started. Violet gulped, knowing that now was the moment. Now was her decision yet again. "I didn't know that I was being possessed, now that I've realized it makes sense. I always had superficial excuses for hurting people and doing the bad things that I did. The reasons for hurting people weren't mine, but I still did it. I'm an angry messed up kid, I shot other students and raped your mom. That demon child was still my DNA even if it wasn't my spirit. Nothings really changed… I know you still can't forgive me." His face twisted in pain and self-loathing. His breathing was becoming more and more ragged as he finally recognized his sins and the truth. Violet loved him even more for that, her heart swelled in her chest, tears beading in her eyes as she looked up at him. She gently touched his arm, her fingertips gliding across his skin. He leaned lightly against her hand.

"I know that." She said. His face crumbled in pain and grief. "But," She quickly began to say. "if I'm going to stay here a little longer than I want to put the past behind me. I'm willing to forgive you Tate."

Tate stopped breathing. He stared at Violet, slowly absorbing the words she said. He grabbed both of her arms tightly and yanked her towards him. It hurt but Violet didn't mind as he wrapped his arms around her and leaned his head onto her shoulder. She could hear him taking deep breaths, holding back soft sobs of relief. She ran a hand through his blonde curls for the first time in three years. They pulled away to look at each other. The seconds felt electrified as they slowly leaned towards each other. They kissed long and slow, Violet felt the stars tip around her as a galaxy exploded behind her eyelids.

He'd waited as long as he had too, and finally they were together again ready to start anew.

**I hope everyone loves this chapter as much as I loved writing it. If you get confused feel free to ask questions, a lot happens in one chapter! But I thought now was the best time to wrap up this story and let Violet and Tate finally have their happy ending. Thank you to everyone for reading this and commenting! Please send me suggestions if you have any short stories or anything you think I should write!**

**Thank you3**


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